New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s team put out the big public list of names and addresses tied to the second-home tax and then skipped the City Council hearing on it.
- Nearly a million names and addresses went online.
- Only a small slice will actually pay the surcharge.
- Homeowners scramble to prove they do not owe.
- Administration skips the hearing meant to explain it.
- Democrats and Republicans both call it a hit list.
🚨 JUST IN: New Yorkers are GOING BERSERK right now on Ugandan Mayor Mamdani for SKIPPING today's hearing on his draconian 2nd home tax, and publishing a PUBLIC DATABASE of "rich" people
Even DEMOCRATS are fuming. Wow!
"Somehow today, the administration couldn't find its way… pic.twitter.com/X9b17VD1SX
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) August 18, 2026
City Council holds hearing on pied-à-terre tax rollout
The rollout of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s tax on luxury second homes in New York City faced scrutiny by the City Council Tuesday afternoon.
The joint oversight hearing — conducted by the committees on governmental operations, state and federal legislation, and finance — was organized after some property owners voiced concerns over notices they received saying they needed to prove their residency to avoid the tax.
Council Member Gale Brewer, who represents the Upper West Side and parts of Hell’s Kitchen, along with Council Members Kamillah Hanks and Frank Morano, who represent parts of Staten Island, have also criticized the rollout of the tax.
Mamdani administration officials decided earlier this week not to attend, citing an ongoing lawsuit over the rollout of the second home surcharge. However, as of this week, the administration has approved more than 2,300 applications for exemptions from the tax.
Confusion reigns over eligibility for Mayor Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax